A WOMAN from Bradford on Avon is looking for tales of the supernatural for a book about spooky goings-on in the town.

Margaret Dobson, an academic who previously did not believe in things that go bump in the night, has been inspired by hearing ghostly stories from residents and is compiling them in a book.

She said: "Last year Leigh Park Hotel in Bradford asked me to devise a ghost tour in the town for a group of their guests at Halloween.

"I agreed to do it, just as a bit of fun but when I began asking people if they had had any ghostly experiences, I was quite surprised at the response.

"The stories were interesting in themselves, curious experiences which could not be explained but which had definitely happened.

"What struck me was that these inexplicable events had happened to sensible, down- to-earth people who would never simply make up fanciful stories.

"I am a down-to-earth person and I like dates to be exact so this isn't really my sort of thing at all."

Her search for stories will cover surrounding villages and could include the Kings Arms pub in Monkton Far-leigh where an 11th century monk is said to roam.

Former landlord Nils Hughes had problems with phantoms disturbing the staff and customers and held an exorcism in two of the upstairs rooms in a bid to lay the spirit to rest.

But guests at the pub have recently reported being tucked up in bed by the ghost of the monk.

Mrs Dobson said she believes there are some un-usually powerful energies at work in the town that cannot be explained by science alone.

She said: "We have been arranging for some members of the Wiltshire Dowsing Association to come to Bradford in June as part of the Singing Round the Town community events.

"They will be dowsing for water courses on the northern side of the town centre but their leader tells me that they will not be able to dowse within 10 or 15 feet of the Saxon Church because the energy lines there are too powerful.

"Is this anything to do with energies locked up in the ground and in stone buildings, psychic energies which may sometimes manifest themselves to ordinary people in extraordinary ways? I don't know but it would be very interesting to explore this mysterious world of extra-sensory forces and energies further."

She has already written a book about the history of the town, Bradford Voices, in which she recorded the memories of some of the town's oldest residents.

Bradford publisher Roger Jones has suggested she teams up with local writer Simone Goldberg to help with the research and putting this latest book together and has promised to publish it.

Mrs Dobson said: "It will depend on the responses and experiences of local people to take this weird but interesting investigation still further.

"I hope to hear from lots of people in the next week so we can see if there really is a book in it. It could be something far in the past or very recent: everything is useful.

"Any stories, which must be genuine, will be treated in confidence."

Anyone who has a spooky story can contact Mrs Dobson on (01225) 862428.